Details and Metadata
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Methods
The methods followed in the creation of the dataset, including description of field, laboratory and processing steps, and quality control procedures
Current Methods
Plot establishment
Started: 1991-05-01One plot established at Proctor Maple Research Center in 1991.
Started: 1992-05-01Eight plots on west slope of Mt. Mansfield paired at 4 elevations: 1400, 2200, 3000, and 3800 feet. Used to assess changes in crown condition, injury to crown and bole, growth, regeneration, understory cover.
Started: 1990-05-01One plot established in the Lye Brook Wilderness Area as part of the National Forest Health Monitoring Program at 2300 ft.
Started: 1994-05-01Four plots in the Lye Brook Wilderness Area paired at 1400 and 2300 feet, in addition to the NFHM plot at 2300 feet.
Started: 1997-05-01Six plots established in 1997 on the east slope of the mountain in Ranch Valley paired at 1400, 2200, and 3000 feet.
Past Methods (No longer in use)
- Ice storm effects
Started: 1998-01-30
Ended: 1998-06-01In 1998, conducted special spring survey on plots affected by the January ice storm. Measurements included bole breakage and crown loss (%).
Dataset Fields
Detailed documentation of the fields comprising the dataset, including the type of measurement, units where applicable, and any controlled vocabularies or code lists present in the data
Field Name Caption Description Additional Information PlotID Plot Identification Unique plot identifier
Measurement type: Nominal
Forest Health Monitoring Plot Centers
+ showAppears in data as Description Spatial data LBA1400A Center of LBA1400A Plot LBA1400B Center of LBA1400B Plot LBA2300A Center of LBA2300A Plot LBA2300B Center of LBA2300B Plot LBA2300C Center of LBA2300C Plot MMBR1400 Center of MMBR1400 Plot MMBR2200 Center of MMBR2200 Plot MMBR3000 Center of MMBR3000 Plot MMBR3800A Center of MMBR3800A Plot MMBR3800B Center of MMBR3800B Plot MMRB1400A Center of MMRB1400A Plot MMRB1400B Center of MMRB1400B Plot MMRB2200A Center of MMRB2200A Plot MMRB2200B Center of MMRB2200B Plot MMRB3000A Center of MMRB3000A Plot MMRB3000B Center of MMRB3000B Plot MMSB1400 Center of MMSB1400 Plot MMSB2200 Center of MMSB2200 Plot MMSB3000 Center of MMSB3000 Plot VMC245 Center of VMC245 Plot VMC495 Center of VMC495 Plot Year Year Year of data collection
Measurement type: DateTime
Date/Time Format: YYYYSubplotID Subplot identification Unique subplot identifier
Measurement type: Nominal
FHM Subplot locations
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 1 center subplot 2 north 3 southeast 4 southwest TreeID Tree Identification Unique tree identification number
Measurement type: Nominal TreeStatus Tree Status Code Live/dead status of the tree (not used after 2014)
Measurement type: Nominal
Vermont Forest Health Monitoring Tree Status Codes
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 1 Live 2 Dead 8 Dead and down 9 Missing or not recorded DBH_Traditional Diameter at Breast Height Diameter at breast height using traditional method
Measurement type: Ratio
Unit: centimeter
Precision: 0.1DBH_Modified Diameter at Breast Height Modified Diameter at breast height measured at painted band on tree ensuring same location for future measurement
Measurement type: Ratio
Unit: centimeter
Precision: 0.001DBH_Dendroband Diameter at Breast Height Dendroband Diameter at breast height using a dendroband installed on tree
Measurement type: Ratio
Unit: centimeter
Precision: 0.001CrownClass Crown Class Position of the crown relative to neighboring trees
Measurement type: Ordinal
Crown Class Code
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 1 open growth 2 dominant 3 codominant 4 intermediate 5 suppressed/ overtopped TotalLength Total Length Tree height including dead or broken top
Measurement type: Ratio
Unit: meter
Precision: 0.01ActualLength Actual Length Tree height to top of live crown
Measurement type: Ratio
Unit: meter
Precision: 0.01CrownBaseHeight Crown Base Height Height from ground to base of tree crown
Measurement type: Ratio
Unit: meter
Precision: 0.01HeightMethod Height Measurement Method The method used to measure heights - visual, clinometer, hypsometer
Measurement type: Nominal Vigor Tree Vigor Code Coded tree vigor rating
Measurement type: Ordinal
Tree Vigor Rankings
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 1 Healthy 2 Light decline 3 moderate decline 4 Severe decline 5 Dead, natural 6 Dead, human caused 8 Dead and down Dieback Crown Dieback Code representing the percentage of the live crown area including the dieback area
Measurement type: Ordinal Transparency Crown Transparency Foliage transparency indicator class
Measurement type: Ordinal Defoliation Defoliation Class Crown defoliation class
Measurement type: Ordinal
Defoliation Codes
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 0 None to trace 1 less than 30% of crown 2 31 to 60% defoliated 3 more than 60% defoliation SpecialDamage1 Special damage 1 Code for special damage 1 (code undefined)
Measurement type: Nominal
Special Damages Codes
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 101 balsam wooly adelgid 102 white pine weevil 103 hemlock wooly adelgid 104 beech bark scale only 105 beech bark nectria only 106 both beech scale and nectria 107 southern pine beetle 108 sugar maple borer 109 other borers 110 other bark beetles 111 defoliation > 20% 201 butternut canker 202 nectria canker (not on beech) 203 eutypella canker 204 hypoxylon canker 206 European larch canker 207 other canker 208 conks 209 dwarf mistletoe 210 white pine blister rust 441 animal browse 444 beaver damage 445 porcupine damage 446 sapsucker damage 447 other animal damage 501 wind thrown/ uprooted 504 brooming 505 other weather damage 702 logging damage ( > 20% of circumference) Discoloration Discoloration Code Code for discoloration class
Measurement type: Ordinal
Discoloration Codes
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 0 None to trace 1 less than 30% of crown 2 31 to 60% discolored 3 more than 60% discolored Notes Notes (observations/clarifications) Notes by text or special damage code
Measurement type: Nominal UncompactedCrownRatio Uncompacted Crown Ratio Live crown ratio is the percentage of total tree height supporting live foliage that is contributing
Measurement type: Ordinal SaplingVigor Sampling Vigor Coded sapling vigor rating
Measurement type: Ordinal
Sapling Vigor Class
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 1 healthy 2 moderate decline 3 poor health CrownDensity Crown Density Average of crown density indicator for each plot (%)
Measurement type: Ordinal LocationofDamage1 Location of Damage 1 Code for location of damage 1
Measurement type: Nominal
Location of Damage Code
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 0 none 1 roots and stump 2 roots, stump and lower bole 3 lower bole 4 lower and upper bole 5 upper bole 6 crownstem 7 branches 8 buds and shoots 9 foliage Damage1 Damage 1 Code for damage 1
Measurement type: Nominal
Damage Code
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 1 Canker, gall 2 conks, fruiting bodies, and signs of advanced decay 3 open wounds 4 resinosis or gummosis 5 cracks and seams 11 broken bole or roots 12 brooms on roots or bole 13 broken or dad roots 20 vines in the crown 21 loss of apical dominance,dead terminal 22 broken or dead (branches) 23 excessive branching or brooms within the live crown area 24 damaged buds, foliage or shoots 25 discoloration of foliage 31 other SeverityofDamage1 Severity of Damage 1 Code (0-9) for severity of damage 1
Measurement type: Ordinal
Severity of Damage Code
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 0 none 2 20-29% 3 30-39% 4 40-49% 5 50-59% 6 60-69% 7 70-79% 8 80-89% 9 90-99% LocationofDamage2 Location of Damage 2 Code for location of damage 2
Measurement type: Nominal
Location of Damage Code
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 0 none 1 roots and stump 2 roots, stump and lower bole 3 lower bole 4 lower and upper bole 5 upper bole 6 crownstem 7 branches 8 buds and shoots 9 foliage Damage2 Damage 2 Code for damage 2
Measurement type: Nominal
Damage Code
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 1 Canker, gall 2 conks, fruiting bodies, and signs of advanced decay 3 open wounds 4 resinosis or gummosis 5 cracks and seams 11 broken bole or roots 12 brooms on roots or bole 13 broken or dad roots 20 vines in the crown 21 loss of apical dominance,dead terminal 22 broken or dead (branches) 23 excessive branching or brooms within the live crown area 24 damaged buds, foliage or shoots 25 discoloration of foliage 31 other SeverityofDamage2 Severity of Damage 2 Code for severity of damage 2
Measurement type: Ordinal
Severity of Damage Code
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 0 none 2 20-29% 3 30-39% 4 40-49% 5 50-59% 6 60-69% 7 70-79% 8 80-89% 9 90-99% LocationofDamage3 Location of Damage 3 Code for location of damage 3
Measurement type: Nominal
Location of Damage Code
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 0 none 1 roots and stump 2 roots, stump and lower bole 3 lower bole 4 lower and upper bole 5 upper bole 6 crownstem 7 branches 8 buds and shoots 9 foliage Damage3 Damage 3 Code for damage 3
Measurement type: Nominal
Damage Code
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 1 Canker, gall 2 conks, fruiting bodies, and signs of advanced decay 3 open wounds 4 resinosis or gummosis 5 cracks and seams 11 broken bole or roots 12 brooms on roots or bole 13 broken or dad roots 20 vines in the crown 21 loss of apical dominance,dead terminal 22 broken or dead (branches) 23 excessive branching or brooms within the live crown area 24 damaged buds, foliage or shoots 25 discoloration of foliage 31 other SeverityofDamage3 Severity of Damage 3 Code for severity of damage 3
Measurement type: Ordinal
Severity of Damage Code
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 0 none 2 20-29% 3 30-39% 4 40-49% 5 50-59% 6 60-69% 7 70-79% 8 80-89% 9 90-99% CauseofDeath Cause of Death Code for cause of tree death
Measurement type: Nominal
Cause of Death Code
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 10 insect 20 disease 30 fire 40 animal 50 weather 60 vegetation (supression, vines) 70 unknown 80 human caused 90 physical (hit by fallen tree) Counter Counter Record counter
Measurement type: Ordinal TreeOrientation Tree Orientation Order of trees on each plot for use in data collection
Measurement type: Interval
Units:LeanAngle Lean Angle Lean angle code
Measurement type: Nominal
Lean Angle Code
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 0 standing (less than 45 degree lean) 1 down (more than 45 degree lean) LengthMethod Length Method Length method code
Measurement type: Ordinal
Length Method Code
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 1 total and actual length measured with instrument 2 total length visually estimated and actual length measured with an instrument) 3 total and actual length visually estimated pctRottenMissing Percent Rotten / Missing Percent class volume of missing or rotten
Measurement type: Ordinal DecayClass Decay Class Coded decay class
Measurement type: Ordinal
Decay Class Code
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 1 not decayed, limbs and branches all present 2 few limbs, no fine branches, top may be broken 3 limb stubs only, top broken 4 few or no stubs, top broken 5 no limbs or branches, top broken, less than 20 percent of bark remaining CompactedCrownRatio Compacted Crown Ratio Portion of tree supporting live foliage as a percent of actual tree height
Measurement type: Ordinal CrownExposure Crown Exposure Crown exposure class
Measurement type: Ordinal
Crown Exposure Class
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 0 the tree recieves no full light because it is shaded by trees, vines, or other vegetation; the tree has no crown by definition 1 the tree recieves full light from the top or one side 2 the tree recieves full light from the top and one side (or 2 sides without the top) 3 the tree recieves full light from the top and two sides (or 3 sides without the top) 4 the tree recieves full light from the top and three sides 5 the tree recieves full light from the top and 4 sides CrownLight Crown Light Crown light class
Measurement type: Ordinal
Crown Light Class
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 0 the tree recieves no full light because it is shaded by trees, vines, or other vegetation; the tree has no crown by definition 1 the tree recieves full light from the top or one side 2 the tree recieves full light from the top and one side (or 2 sides without the top) 3 the tree recieves full light from the top and two sides (or 3 sides without the top) 4 the tree recieves full light from the top and three sides 5 the tree recieves full light from the top and 4 sides CrownPosition Crown Position Crown position relative to forest canopy
Measurement type: Ordinal
Crown Position Class
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 1 superstory 2 overstory 3 understory 4 open grown TreeHistory Tree History Tree history code
Measurement type: Nominal
Tree History Code
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 1 live 2 ingrowth on microplot 3 ingrowth on subplot 4 outgrowth 5 dead 7 cut 9 missed CrownDensity1992 Crown Density 1992 and Beyond Crown density changed from plot average to individual tree coded density rating
Measurement type: Interval
Unit: percent
Precision: 1
Crown Density 1992 Class
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 0 no crown 5 1-5 percent crown 10 6-10 percent crown 15 11-15 percent crown 20 16-20 percent crown 25 21-25 percent crown 30 26-30 percent crown 35 31-35 percent crown 40 46-40 percent crown 45 41-45 percent crown 50 46-50 percent crown 55 51-55 percent crown 60 56-60 percent crown 65 61-65 percent crown 70 66-70 percent crown 75 71-75 percent crown 80 76-80 percent crown 85 81-85 percent crown 90 86-90 percent crown 95 91-95 percent crown 99 96-100 percent crown CrownDiameter1 Crown Diameter at 90 degrees Crown diameter at 90 degrees from first measure
Measurement type: Ratio
Unit: meter
Precision: 1CrownDiameter2 Crown Diameter at Widest Side Crown diameter at widest side
Measurement type: Ratio
Unit: meter
Precision: 1CauseofDamage1 Cause of Damage 1 Coded number for cause of damage 1
Measurement type: Nominal
Cause of Damage Code
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 40 Excessive branching (indicator of past injury such as top kill) (1992 only) 41 Abundance of seeds or cones (may cause dieback) (1992 only) 42 Stunted, dwarfed (woody stems only, short internodes, chlorotic dwarfs) (1992 only) 60 Defoliation (from insect feeding) (1992 only) 61 General discoloration (mixed colors; more than 30% of the crown with leaves having more than 50% of foliage affected) (1992 only) 62 Pale green foliage (more than 30% of the crown with leaves having more than 50% of foliage affected) (1992 only) 63 Yellow-green foliage (more than 30% of the crown with leaves having more than 50% of foliage affected) (1992 only) 64 Leaves spotted (more than 30% of crown with foliage having spotted leaves) (1992 only) 65 Damaged leaves (more than 30% of crown with foliage shredded, with holes, or otherwise mechanically damaged) (1992 only) 66 Distorted foliage (more than 30% of crown with wrinkled, shrivelled, galled or otherwise distorted leaves) (1992 only) 67 Stunted foliage (more than 30% of crown with stunted or dwarfed foliage, less than 1/2 normal leaf size) (1992 only) CauseofDamage2 Cause of Damage 2 Coded number for cause of damage 2
Measurement type: Nominal
Cause of Damage Code
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 40 Excessive branching (indicator of past injury such as top kill) (1992 only) 41 Abundance of seeds or cones (may cause dieback) (1992 only) 42 Stunted, dwarfed (woody stems only, short internodes, chlorotic dwarfs) (1992 only) 60 Defoliation (from insect feeding) (1992 only) 61 General discoloration (mixed colors; more than 30% of the crown with leaves having more than 50% of foliage affected) (1992 only) 62 Pale green foliage (more than 30% of the crown with leaves having more than 50% of foliage affected) (1992 only) 63 Yellow-green foliage (more than 30% of the crown with leaves having more than 50% of foliage affected) (1992 only) 64 Leaves spotted (more than 30% of crown with foliage having spotted leaves) (1992 only) 65 Damaged leaves (more than 30% of crown with foliage shredded, with holes, or otherwise mechanically damaged) (1992 only) 66 Distorted foliage (more than 30% of crown with wrinkled, shrivelled, galled or otherwise distorted leaves) (1992 only) 67 Stunted foliage (more than 30% of crown with stunted or dwarfed foliage, less than 1/2 normal leaf size) (1992 only) CauseofDamage3 Cause of Damage 3 Coded number for cause of damage 3
Measurement type: Nominal
Cause of Damage Code
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 40 Excessive branching (indicator of past injury such as top kill) (1992 only) 41 Abundance of seeds or cones (may cause dieback) (1992 only) 42 Stunted, dwarfed (woody stems only, short internodes, chlorotic dwarfs) (1992 only) 60 Defoliation (from insect feeding) (1992 only) 61 General discoloration (mixed colors; more than 30% of the crown with leaves having more than 50% of foliage affected) (1992 only) 62 Pale green foliage (more than 30% of the crown with leaves having more than 50% of foliage affected) (1992 only) 63 Yellow-green foliage (more than 30% of the crown with leaves having more than 50% of foliage affected) (1992 only) 64 Leaves spotted (more than 30% of crown with foliage having spotted leaves) (1992 only) 65 Damaged leaves (more than 30% of crown with foliage shredded, with holes, or otherwise mechanically damaged) (1992 only) 66 Distorted foliage (more than 30% of crown with wrinkled, shrivelled, galled or otherwise distorted leaves) (1992 only) 67 Stunted foliage (more than 30% of crown with stunted or dwarfed foliage, less than 1/2 normal leaf size) (1992 only) TreeHeight Tree Height Tree height
Measurement type: Ratio
Unit: meter
Precision: 1PreviousDBH Previous Diameter Breast Height Previous collection of diameter at breast height
Measurement type: Ratio
Unit: centimeter
Precision: 0.1DiamChk Diameter Check Code for measurment accuracy
Measurement type: Nominal
Diameter Check Code
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 0 Diameter measured accurately 1 diameter estimated 2 diameter measured at different location than previous measurment (remeasurment trees only) SpecialDamage2 Special Damage 2 Code for special damage 2 (code undefined)
Measurement type: Nominal
Special Damages Codes
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 101 balsam wooly adelgid 102 white pine weevil 103 hemlock wooly adelgid 104 beech bark scale only 105 beech bark nectria only 106 both beech scale and nectria 107 southern pine beetle 108 sugar maple borer 109 other borers 110 other bark beetles 111 defoliation > 20% 201 butternut canker 202 nectria canker (not on beech) 203 eutypella canker 204 hypoxylon canker 206 European larch canker 207 other canker 208 conks 209 dwarf mistletoe 210 white pine blister rust 441 animal browse 444 beaver damage 445 porcupine damage 446 sapsucker damage 447 other animal damage 501 wind thrown/ uprooted 504 brooming 505 other weather damage 702 logging damage ( > 20% of circumference) SpecialDamage3 Special Damage 3 Code for special damage 3 (code undefined)
Measurement type: Nominal
Special Damages Codes
+ showAppears in data as Meaning of code 101 balsam wooly adelgid 102 white pine weevil 103 hemlock wooly adelgid 104 beech bark scale only 105 beech bark nectria only 106 both beech scale and nectria 107 southern pine beetle 108 sugar maple borer 109 other borers 110 other bark beetles 111 defoliation > 20% 201 butternut canker 202 nectria canker (not on beech) 203 eutypella canker 204 hypoxylon canker 206 European larch canker 207 other canker 208 conks 209 dwarf mistletoe 210 white pine blister rust 441 animal browse 444 beaver damage 445 porcupine damage 446 sapsucker damage 447 other animal damage 501 wind thrown/ uprooted 504 brooming 505 other weather damage 702 logging damage ( > 20% of circumference) Aspect Aspect Direction plot faces
Measurement type: Nominal SeedCones Seed Cones Undefined
Measurement type: Nominal CurrentConditionClass Current Condition Class Undefined
Measurement type: Nominal OldTreeHistory Old Tree History Undefined
Measurement type: Nominal Sampling Equipment
Equipment and software used to collect data, including how that equipment was used.
No sampling equipment recorded for this dataset
Site Characteristics
The spatial extent of the dataset site coverage, and descriptions of the spatial extent and context for the data collection
- Site Description